diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 43ab2ee975..7269b631a7 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Bugfix 🐛:
  - Fix read marker not updating automatically (#3267)
  - Sent video does not contains duration (#3272)
  - Properly clean the back stack if the user cancel registration when waiting for email validation
+ - Fix user invitation in case of restricted profile api (#3306)
 
 Translations 🗣:
  -
diff --git a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/org/matrix/android/sdk/api/session/profile/ProfileService.kt b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/org/matrix/android/sdk/api/session/profile/ProfileService.kt
index e493adeaf2..05fa24946a 100644
--- a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/org/matrix/android/sdk/api/session/profile/ProfileService.kt
+++ b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/org/matrix/android/sdk/api/session/profile/ProfileService.kt
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ interface ProfileService {
     /**
      * Get the combined profile information for this user.
      * This may return keys which are not limited to displayname or avatar_url.
+     * If server is configured as limit_profile_requests_to_users_who_share_rooms: true then response can be HTTP 403.
      * @param userId the userId param to look for
      *
      */
diff --git a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/org/matrix/android/sdk/internal/session/profile/ProfileAPI.kt b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/org/matrix/android/sdk/internal/session/profile/ProfileAPI.kt
index 5113b821e8..485a4973ca 100644
--- a/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/org/matrix/android/sdk/internal/session/profile/ProfileAPI.kt
+++ b/matrix-sdk-android/src/main/java/org/matrix/android/sdk/internal/session/profile/ProfileAPI.kt
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ internal interface ProfileAPI {
      * Get the combined profile information for this user.
      * This API may be used to fetch the user's own profile information or other users; either locally or on remote homeservers.
      * This API may return keys which are not limited to displayname or avatar_url.
+     * If server is configured as limit_profile_requests_to_users_who_share_rooms: true then response can be HTTP 403.
      * @param userId the user id to fetch profile info
      */
     @GET(NetworkConstants.URI_API_PREFIX_PATH_R0 + "profile/{userId}")
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/userdirectory/UserListViewModel.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/userdirectory/UserListViewModel.kt
index a68717ea57..5d5247ec06 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/userdirectory/UserListViewModel.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/userdirectory/UserListViewModel.kt
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ import org.matrix.android.sdk.api.MatrixPatterns
 import org.matrix.android.sdk.api.session.Session
 import org.matrix.android.sdk.api.session.profile.ProfileService
 import org.matrix.android.sdk.api.session.user.model.User
-import org.matrix.android.sdk.api.util.Optional
 import org.matrix.android.sdk.api.util.toMatrixItem
 import org.matrix.android.sdk.api.util.toOptional
 import org.matrix.android.sdk.rx.rx
@@ -137,7 +136,15 @@ class UserListViewModel @AssistedInject constructor(@Assisted initialState: User
                                                 avatarUrl = json[ProfileService.AVATAR_URL_KEY] as? String
                                         ).toOptional()
                                     }
-                                    .onErrorReturn { Optional.empty() }
+                                    .onErrorReturn {
+                                        // Profile API can be restricted and doesn't have to return result.
+                                        // In this case allow inviting valid user ids.
+                                        User(
+                                                userId = search,
+                                                displayName = null,
+                                                avatarUrl = null
+                                        ).toOptional()
+                                    }
 
                             Single.zip(
                                     searchObservable,